2009 Winter Arts Preview – Pop & Rock

Lenka

Aussie TV star turned musician brings her anti-folk pop tunes stateside. Sat., Jan. 17, 6:30pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Soul Majestic

Santa Cruz’s favorite environmentally conscious reggae band. Sat., Jan. 17, 9:30pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

America

The folk rockers behind “A Horse with No Name” return to town with a slew of new tunes, courtesy of the band’s latest release, Here & Now. Thu., Jan. 22, 8pm. Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 585-3737 or visit chumashcasino.com.

Kaki King

Georgia’s slap guitar goddess teams up with a full band in support of her 2008 release, Dreaming of Revenge. Fri., Jan. 23, 9pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit clubmercy.com.

Math the Band, iji, Franklin for Short

Indie rockers join forces for a dance party at one of I.V.’s longest-standing venues. Fri., Jan. 23, 8pm. Biko Co-Op Garage, 6612 Sueno Rd., Isla Vista. Visit myspace.com/sbdiy.

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band

Delta blues trio takes their rural rock to Santa Barbara’s favorite little music venue. Wed., Jan. 28, 8pm. Muddy Waters Cafe, 508 E. Haley St. Call 966-9328 or visit clubmercy.com.

The Kicks

Lady-fronted reggae band from San Luis Obispo headlines this installment of The Merc’s Thursday Night Live series. Thu., Jan. 29, 9pm. The Mercury Lounge, 5871 Hollister Ave., Goleta. Call 967-0907 or visit myspace.com/mercurylounge.

Neville Brothers

Art, Charles, Aaron, and Cyril team up to create an unstoppably funky take on New Orleans R&B. Thu., Jan. 29, 8pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 893-8637 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Fruit Bats

Current Shins guitarist returns to his folk roots and reunites with his primary band. Sun., Feb. 1, 8pm. Muddy Waters Cafe, 508 E. Haley St. Call 966-9328 or visit clubmercy.com.

Charo

Eccentric ’70s guitar maven (and recent reality TV star) brings her song and dance shtick to the Chumash. Thu., Feb. 5, 8pm. Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 585-3737 or visit chumashcasino.com.

The Bird & The Bee

This brainchild of producer Greg Kurstin and Inara George sounds like an all-female mix of electro pop and sultry jazz. Sat., Feb. 7, 6:30pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Tim Reynolds and TR3

Dave Matthews’s go-to guitar guru plays solo, then teams up with Mick Vaughn and Dan Martier as part of TR3. Tue., Feb. 10, 9pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Animal Liberation Orchestra

Zach Gill returns to town, this time with his ALO bandmates in tow. Wed., Feb. 11, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Groundation

Sonoma-based reggae band headlines night a of Bob Marley tributes in honor of the late musician’s birthday. Fri., Feb. 13, 9:30pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Hot Buttered Rum

San Fran bluegrass rockers return to S.B., this time sans fiddle player Zac Mathews. Sat., Feb. 14, 10pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Critic’s Pick: Patti Smith and Philip Glass

The Godmother of Punk joins forces with one of contemporary music’s most original composers for this “Footnote to Howl: Homage to Allen Ginsberg,” an evening of poetry, music, and song. Featuring Jackson Smith on guitar. Sat., Feb. 14, 8pm. UCSB’s Campbell Hall. Call 893-8637 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Juana Molina

One-time Argentinean television star goes the ambient folk route, with a little inspiration from the music of her native country. Sun., Feb. 15, 9pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit clubmercy.com.

Critic’s Pick: Joan Baez

One of America’s most beloved singer/songwriters comes to the Lobero as part of the venue’s month-long A Woman’s Voice concert series. Tue., Feb. 17, 8pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Call 963-0761 or visit lobero.com.

Donavon Frankenreiter and Gary Jules

Surfer, songwriter, and longtime bud of Jack Johnson teams up with Hotel Cafe alum Gary Jules for a night of laidback acoustic tunes. Wed., Feb. 18, 8pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

Mad Professor and Macka B

Rasta purveyors reunite for this very special night of reggae, dancehall, and dub step. Thu., Feb. 19, 9pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit clubmercy.com.

Critic’s Pick: Annuals, with Jessica Lea Mayfield

North Carolina’s finest indie exports bring their experimental noise pop to Muddy Waters, with a little help from young singer/songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield, best known for her work with blues rockers The Black Keys. Fri., Feb. 20, 8pm. Muddy Waters Cafe, 508 E. Haley St. Call 966-9328 or visit clubmercy.com.

Kinky

Mexican electro-rock band returns for what promises to be another raucous night of dancing. Sun., Feb. 22, 9pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit clubmercy.com.

Little Big Town

Contemporary country crooners bring their four-part harmonies to the Santa Ynez Valley. Thu., Feb. 26, 8pm. Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 585-3737 or visit chumashcasino.com.

A.C. Newman

New Pornographers’ frontman goes it alone for this very special night of music. Keep your ears open for songs off Newman’s soon-to-be-released album, Get Guilty. Fri., Feb. 27, 9pm. SOhO, 1221 State St. Call 962-7776 or visit clubmercy.com.

Phoebe Snow

The singer/songwriter behind 1975’s “Poetry Man” turns up as part of the Lobero’s A Woman’s Voice concert series. Fri., Feb. 27, 8pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Call 963-0761 or visit lobero.com.

Critic’s Pick: No Age

The L.A.-based duo behind 2008’s breakout masterpiece Nouns brings their critically acclaimed art rock to Velvet Jones. Catch them while you can; members of both Deerhunter and Radiohead already have jumped on the No Age bandwagon. Sat., Feb. 28, 9pm. Velvet Jones, 423 State St. Call 965-8676 or visit clubmercy.com.

The Coral Sea

Rey Villalobos’s low-fi quartet returns to Muddy Waters, this time with Ventura-based indie darlings The Spires along for support. Sat., Feb. 28, 8pm. Muddy Waters Cafe, 508 E. Haley St. Call 966-9328 or visit myspace.com/muddycafesb.

Critic’s Pick: Tony Bennett

At age 82, this master of the Great American Songbook continues to shake things up. Best known for his covers of “Because of You” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Bennett may be the most recognizable voice of our time. Thu., Mar. 5, 8pm. Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 585-3737 or visit chumashcasino.com.

Dan Zanes & Friends

The Grammy Award-winning children’s songwriter performs a show suitable for folks of all ages. Thu., Mar. 12, 5pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Call 893-8637 or visit artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

Jewel

The Alaskan pop princess turned country crooner behind hits like “Foolish Games” and “You Were Meant for Me” hits the road in support of 2008’s Perfectly Clear. Thu., Mar. 12, 8pm. Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 585-3737 or visit chumashcasino.com.

Jason Aldean

Country Music Award winner brings his hits (“Hicktown,” “She’s Country,” “Why”) to the Chumash’s showspace. Thu., Mar. 19, 8pm. Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 585-3737 or visit chumashcasino.com.

Mariza

Portuguese fado artist headlines the Lobero as part of an impressive three-month-long tour in support of her recent album, Terra. Thu., Mar. 19, 8pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Call 963-0761 or visit lobero.com.